Symptoms of Bad Gimbal and U joint

Ryan50

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
Messages
109
I am hoping some of you very knowledgable folks will help me expand my knowledge base when it comes to boats. What are the symptoms of a gimbal bearing and universal joint going bad? Motor is a 1991 3.0 with Alpha 1 Gen 1. After a great day on the lake, at idle and low speeds I began hearing a strange rattle or knock. It speeds up with the engine, in gear or not. Once the RPMs are increased a little the noise either goes away or gets covered by the sound of the engine. I'm pretty sure it is not engine related. I am also getting a knocking sound when the wheel is cut all the way in either direction which I am pretty sure is the sign of a u joint going south. Am I thinking along the right lines here? I am planning to pull the drive and inspect this weekend, what gaskets and seals should I have on hand? Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
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